Demographics
Urbanicity: this categorization describes the county’s size, population density, and access to health care services. Source: Colorado Rural Health Center
- A note on the classification scheme from the Colorado Rural Health Center: all counties that are not designated as parts of Metropolitan Areas (MAs) are considered rural. The Colorado Rural Health Center frequently assumes this designation, and further classifies counties as “frontier” if the population density is six or fewer persons per square mile.
Percent people of color: the percent of the population that identifies as being Hispanic/Latino or a race other than non-Hispanic white/Caucasian. Source: State Demography Office, Colorado Department of Local Affairs.
Median household income: a metric for the general socioeconomic status of the county. Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
Water
This section shows the number of public water systems in each county, the number of systems with at least one annual average contaminant level over the regulatory limit, and the countywide average level of each contaminant. These countywide averages are weighted by the size of the population served by each water system. They are then depicted as being either over or under the regulatory limit set by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The bottom section shows the number of private well permits in each county and samples tested for four contaminants. Please note that wells are tested voluntarily and may be sampled more than once.
Source: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Division of Water Quality and Control
Hospitalization and Emergency Department Visit Rates
This section shows the age-adjusted hospitalization and emergency department visit rates per 100,000 people for five health conditions: asthma, carbon monoxide poisoning, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart attack, and heat-related illness.
Source: Colorado Hospital Association
Climate
Maximum temperature by month is plotted alongside the percent of the county considered to be in severe, or more extreme, drought each month. Possible impacts of this level of drought include crop or pasture losses, water shortages, and water restrictions.
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, United States Drought Monitor
Lead Risk
The lead risk and childhood lead testing section contains summary measures of the CDPHE Targeted Lead Outreach Tool. Information and methodology can be found <here (https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/lead-outreach-tool) > .
Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program